Who’s Who of Gaura Lila in Krishna Lila

The associates of Their Lordships Sri Sri Gaura Nitai are the same spiritual identities in the eternal pastimes of Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha and Krishna.

Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura describes the full glories of the associates of Their Lordships Sri Sri Gaur Nitai in his book Prarthana in the song "Savarana Sri Gaura Mahima" (The Glories of Sri Gauranga):

gaurangera sangi-gane, nitya-siddha kari’ mane,

se yaya vrajendra-suta pasa

sri-gauda-mandala-bhumi, yeba jane cintamani

tara haya vraja-bhume vasa

One who accepts the associates of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu as nitya-siddhas is certain to be elevated to the spiritual kingdom to become an associate of the Supreme Lord. One should also know that Gauda-mandala-bhumi—those places in Bengal where Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu stayed—are equal to Vrajabhumi, or Vrndavana. There is no difference between the inhabitants of Vrndavana and those of Gauda-mandala-bhumi, or Sridhama Mayapur

Srila Prabhupada says:

All the associates of Caitanya Mahaprabhu are nitya-siddhas, or eternally perfect. Nityananda Prabhu is Balarama, the immediate expansion of Krishna; Advaita Prabhu is Maha-Vishnu (He is also vishnu-tattva); Gadadhara Prabhu is an expansion of Radharani; and Srivasa is an incarnation of Narada. They are nitya-siddha, or eternally perfect. They were never imperfect. They were never in contact with material contamination. We should understand that as Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Krishna Himself, is transcendental, similarly His personal associates are also nitya-siddha, or eternally transcendental. Se jay brajendra-suta-pas. Brajendra-suta means Krishna. Simply by accepting that the associates of Lord Caitanya are eternally free, one can immediately be promoted to the transcendental abode of Lord Krishna.

It will help us develop strong faith in the perfect associates of Their Lordships Sri Sri Gaura Nitai if we understand their actual spiritual identities in the eternal pastimes of Sri Sri Radha Krishna. For this reason the greatest of all poets Sri Kavi Karnapura wrote the great classic book Gaura Gannodesha Dipika. This book illuminates to the world the divine spiritual identities of the associates of Their Lordships Sri Sri Gaur Nitai in the pastimes of Sri Sri Radha Krishna.

As stated by Sri Kavi Karnapura himself it is the most difficult task in the whole creation to understand the spiritual identities of Gauranga’s associates. Perfectness in all cases is very difficult often due to the transcendental nature and characteristics of pure devotees. Also in some cases many great associates desire to incarnate in one body so it makes it even more difficult to compile such a list.

Asta Mahanta – The Eight Primary Mahantas

The Pancha Tattva stand on a six-sided jeweled simhasana in the center of the Yogapitha at Shridhama Mayapura, Navadvipa. Eight Mahantas surround Them like petals of a lotus flower. The eight Mahantas surrounding the Their Lordships Shri Shri Nityananda Gauranga in the Navadvipa Yogapitha each with 8 assitants are similarly situated like the 64 principal Gopies surrounding Their Lordships Shri Shri Radha and Krishna in the Vrindavana Yogapitha:

Asta Goswami – The eight Goswamis

The eight famous goswamis of Vrindavan are:

Rupa Goswami

Sanatana Goswami

Raghunatha Das Goswami

Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami

Gopala Bhatta Goswami

Jiva Goswami

Lokanatha Goswami

Krishnadas Kaviraja Goswami

Dvadasa Gopala – The Twelve Cowherd boys

The cowherd boys in Krishna's lila appeared in Gaura Lila as:

Abhirama Thakur

Dhananjaya Pandit

Gauridas Pandit

Kalakrishna Das

Kamalakara Piplai

Kholaveca Sridhara

Mahesh Pandit

Nagar Purushottama

Paramesvari Das

Purushottama Das

Sundarananda Thakur

Uddharana Datta

Asta Sakhis – The Eight Principal Gopies

The eight principal gopis in Krishna's lila appeared in Gaura Lila as: